The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-05-20
THE DOMINION.
DUR COMMERCIAL RELATIONS
With Caundn-rhe Proposition of Hon,
benjamin Buttorworth for tho Aboii-
ton Of all Customs Duties-Ths
Fisheries Question brought in.

NEw YoRY, Hay 1O.-Hon. BENZ. But
terworth, Of Ohio, who late in the las
session OF Congress introduced bill t
abolish all customs duties between tht
United States and Canada, addressed {
large audience hero tonight on CONNER
cial Union" The address was in responat
10 an invitation from the Canadian Club
whose President, Ernatus Wiman, wat
very active in an effort 10 break
down the trade barriers between hil
native country and the country OF his
adoption, and who presided. In the au.
diencs was large representation Of mem.
bers Of the Chamber Of Commerce, Board
OF Trade and Transportion, Bankers and
merchants generally In addition to mem.
bers OF the Canadian club. Butterworth
among other things said:
What is proposed in the present in
stance Ia full and complete reciprocal
trade and commerce between the United
States and Canada, by the terms OF which
for all purposes oi trade, barter and ex-
change the two countries BhRll be as
one, the arrangement having nothing
to do with governmental matters or
political conditions, there being
no necessary connlection or rela-
ton between the political institutions
Of the country and its trade and com.
merce. We seek by this arrangement to
remove all custom houses along our Cana.
dian frontiers, withdraw the line OF pickeis
that keep watch and ward on both sides
along 5000 miles OF our northern bound.
ary.
The adoption Of the system proposed
would involve the assimilation OF tariff
rates and internal revenue taxes and pos.
sibly arrangements for pooling receipts
from customs ands division on some equita-
BILE basis, all Of which, as has been fully
demonstrated, present no serious difficulty
or embarrassing problem. l, had unset
tied public question to have no pity for
tho repose OF nations. The truth 10 that
saying was fitly illustrated By the pres.
ence with us for century OF the unaettled
question between the United States and
Canada touching the fisheries. 1t stauds
and has stood since the treaty OF Paris
threatening menace TO the peace and 70.
pose oi both nations. 1t has been bar.
rier in the highway CT our trade and com
merce. 1t relates 10 single industry,
and the effort has been made repeatedly
to settle 1t without reference to other in.
terests with which 1t in the nature Of
things, is inseparabIy intertwined.
During the year OF 1855 the United
States sold to all Central and South Amer.
lea States but sci, 100000 in round mum.
bers, and to all countries lying Bouth oil
the Rio Grande, in the aggregate S6i, ,0OO,.
900. TO the 45 100000 people OF the South
We sold 100000, while to 5000 00C
Canadians We sold over S50,000,O00.
II our hampered restricted trade with
100000 Canadians OF over $50,00O,O0O
Whist will be made the magnitude OF on,
commerce in that direction when the
blockade is removed and when our neigh.
bors shsll number 25,OOO,0O0 people.
note what il said touching the destruc.
tive influence in international free com.
merce on the fisheries and some other
industries. 1t ia asserted With great force
and seemingly the assertion is sustained
by statistics that free fisheries, for instance
mean destruction absolutely OF American
fishing interests. In reply to that have
to say II we are on equal terms American
fishermen are unable to compete with the
fishermen OF Canada. 1t does not prove
the former are inferior or tha:
he lacks capacity to accomplish
what under the some circum stances a
Canadian can accomplish, but it does
prove that there is something wrong in
our politics in some part OF our govern.
mental machinery, that any business is
so oppressed that with even chances in
the arena OF competition, the Yan.
KEGS are driven from the field hope.
lessly crushed, and the enemy must be
sought otherwise than by driving such
competition from our midst by oppressive
Legislation. 1fany industry OF the United
States carried on within our territory OF
along our coast can't survive in competi,
ton with that our neighbors divided from
us only by an imaginary line, reason
for such failure upon our part must be
sought in some unYlse feature OF the
governmental policy which hampers our
citizens in their efforts, not in the mere
matter OF superior merit on the
part Of our competitors to conduct
the industry or enterprise. Until !
am satisfied OF my error, for one
am unwilling to admit va are equal 10
the emergency Of holding our own in any
nation in the world that Competes with us
under circumstances substantially tht
same, and | would be ashamed OF any
Canadian who would not make like as
sertion concerning his countrymen.